


Superstitions

by fringewrites



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Angst, Arguing, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Polyamory, Voodoo, Voodoo doll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 12:42:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14165085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fringewrites/pseuds/fringewrites
Summary: Holly helps Brian work through his emotions after Danny says something that hurts his feelings, with the help of a little magic, and Brian's staunch skepticism.





	Superstitions

It had been 24 hours since Brian had talked to Dan, and he still didn’t feel inclined to. He is still too pissed off. Dan had always joked that Brian was too sensitive, that he could troll people all day long but couldn’t take being on the other end. There’s some truth to that, but Dan really had gone too far this time. It was a passing joke that picked at an insecurity of his. Dan didn’t even seem to get why it would bother Brian that much. It just popped out, he didn’t really mean it, and in a more logical place in his head, Brian knows this. He just can’t bring himself to feel it yet. 

Brian is trying not to brood about it in Ross and Holly’s living room. He’s trying to just enjoy the afternoon tea and conversation and not be such an obvious sour puss. He had thought that he’d managed to Will Holly away from mentioning it with their telepathic connection, but perhaps he can’t read her quite as well as he thinks he can. 

Holly’s eyebrows knit on her forehead and she looks at him like a concerned mother. “Brian? Are you with me? It looks like you’ve got something pretty serious on your mind,” Holly observes aloud.

“Hmm yeah, I’m sorry, I’ll focus.” Brian knows she’s not complaining, he knows that she isn’t disappointed that he’s not paying enough attention, but he steers it that way in the hopes he can avoid getting into it. 

“You wanna talk about it?” Holly is giving Brian the out he wants. He should take the generously offered opportunity to keep stewing in silence, but Holly’s eyes are so genuine and sweet. She’s one of the few people that can pull every worry, insecurity, or fear from him knot by knot, completely untangling him. He can’t resist that kind of relief, so he spills. 

“And it’s just stupid because, I know it was a joke and that he didn’t mean it. I get that Danny just says stuff without thinking about it sometimes,” Brian explains the worst of his plight.

“But you’re still mad,” Holly finishes for him. Brian nods solemnly as she wraps her arm around his shoulders. 

“I hate being this way. I don’t like feeling out of control of my emotions, There’s nothing to be mad about anymore, but I still am.”

“Sounds like you’re still hung up on something,” Holly’s thumb is rubbing circles soothingly on his shoulder, already starting to zen him out a bit.

“He just…he’s just so annoying. Like he doesn’t even realize how much it bothered me.” Brian huffs.

“You just want him to get it,” Holly explains. Brian usually doesn’t like having his feelings explained to him, but the way Holly does it is comforting. There’s something nice about being completely understood. “C’mon, let me show you something that might help.” Holly slides her arm across his shoulders and rises from the couch. She extends a hand to him and he takes it. 

He lets her lead him to her study. The little area she’s blocked out as her own private mage tower and streaming room. He stands awkwardly in the middle of the room as she reaches into one of her various shelves. She pulls down something small enough to fit in her cupped hands and still keep it from Brian’s sight. She opens her hands as she approaches him, holding a little crochet doll with black bead eyes and stringy brown yarn hair. Brian squints down at the doll, taking a moment to recognize that it’s a tiny Danny Sexbang. 

Holly places the doll gingerly in Brian’s hands and he already has a million questions. Before he can open his mouth to speak them, she takes a pin from the pin cushion on her desk. She holds it up and Brian watches it gleam silver in the light. She offers to him. “Go ahead then,” She tells him. 

Brian frowns. “You can’t be serious.”

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. You want Dan to understand how bad he hurt you. Make him understand,” Holly insists. Brian takes the pin from between her fingers, holding it delicately in his, the doll waiting with dead beady eyes in his other hand. 

“Holly, you know this stuff doesn’t actually work right?” Brian asks. He wouldn’t mock her for actually buying into voodoo, okay he would a little bit, but he’s mostly worried about what this says about the girl he admires so much. 

“Sure I know. But it’s not about results. When you feel helpless cause you can’t do anything about being mad at someone, this lets you feel like you’re at least doing something. Just some good clean working out your aggression is all.” Holly suggests.

Brian looks at her sideways. It makes sense theoretically. He can understand the psychological effects it could have on the user. He just fails to see how Holly thinks it’ll make  _him_  feel any better. “I don’t know, it seems a little ridiculous. Like we know it doesn’t work,” he points out again. 

“Right,” Holly nods. “And since we know it won’t hurt him, you can just do it right?” Holly encourages. It feels like she’s daring him almost.

Brian looks down again at the doll, he raises the pin this time. If it’ll prove a point…wait, what’s he trying to prove anyway? Brian moves the pin toward the doll, but he winces and sets the pin down on the desk instead. “Look I don’t believe in voodoo, okay?” he insists.

“I know. But you don’t want to hurt him, even the tiny pretend him. You’re not mad, you’re sad, you’re hurt. Go talk to him about it,” Holly smiles at him.

“Yeah, I will, thank you.” Brian breathes out a small sigh. He does feel more in control of the situation now. Holly always knows how to make him feel better.She gingerly takes the little doll from his hands and places it back on the shelf. “Hey Holls? How many of those do you have?” Brian asks, starting to wonder just how many of them annoyed Holly enough to actually make one of these.

“Just you and Dan! They’re little NSP dolls Brian! A fan sent them to me! They’re not real voodoo dolls dummy!” Holly teases. “Why, have you been experiencing any unexplained neck pain?” she giggles. 

“Right, Right, I’m a pain in the neck.” Brian laughs, before pulling her in for a hug. 

 


End file.
